Dear Doverrog,
I am afraid I do not have the rest of the above. My interests in Matson?
My surname is Spratt and my Spratt family came from Wingham, then, Ash-next-Sandwich and then Woodnesborough. I saw the Matson thread and remembered that there was a Spratt-Matson connection. The following are notes I have made about these individuals.
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Dorothy Matson (born 25 Mar 1713 Sheperdswell, Kent) married Dr John Spratt (born 30 October 1707, Wingham Kent, died 1758).
Dorothy’s father was John Matson (according to a LDS entry).
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John Matson (about 1680-1730) – married Anne Boyes – his will survives.
John Matson of Wingham, will dated 6 Jun 1729. Consistory Court of Canterbury Vol 61 f.613, Probate 3 Jan 1731.
To be buried at Sibbertswold with my son James, deceased
Sons John, Robert, Charles and Thomas
Occupiers Peter White of Sibbertswold, James Dixon, Richard Dixon
Sister Meriwether,br> Sir Robert Furnese
Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Susanna, Hester and Sarah Smith, daughters of my daughter
Ann Matson (who married James Smith -see below)
(The will helpfully lists children of John and Anne Matson and their spouses)
Daughter Mary wife of Samuel Dell
Daughter Elizabeth wife of Michael Wood
Daughter Dorothy Matson
Cousin Christopher Matson
Daughter Ann wife of James Smith
Wife Ann, executrix
Brother William Wood and his son Michael, trustees and overseers
Witnesses Sarah Merriwether, Mary Pettit, David Campredon?
Codicil 4 Jun 1730
Daughter Ann Smith now deceased
Daughter Susanna wife of Paul Kirby
(Will therefore shows sons and daughters of John Matson and Anne Boyes as follows:
James deceased by 1729
John
Robert
Charles
Thomas
Ann m James Smith Ann died before 1730
Mary m Samuel Dell
Elizabeth m Michael Wood
Dorothy
Susanna m Paul Kirby)
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John Spratt and Dorothy (Matson) Spratt appear in the will of Anne Matson (Dorothy’s mother):
Son-in-law John (Spratt) and his wife Dorothy - Wingham area - left one sixth of her residual estate by will of Anne Matson, widow, 1751. CKS: PRC32/64/245.
John Spratt and Dorothy Matson married 4 Oct 1738 at W. Stodmarsh or Nonington.
An indenture of March 1771 says that John Sprat, deceased, late of the parish of Wingham was a chirurgeon. This also mentions Dorothy his widow, of Dover, and Ann Sprat of Dover (their daughter presumably), spinster. It also mentions Jane Cranbrook widow, the daughter of the elder John Sprat, the grocer, who was his Uncle.
The will of John Spratt, surgeon of Wingham, survives and was written on 11 April 1756. It was proved by his wife Dorothy in London on 1st September 1758.
He leaves money to provide an annuity for his sister Mary who appears not to have married. He then leaves his estate (including property in Wingham Street) to his wife Dorothy and to his daughter Ann. If they pre-decease him he leaves his property to his brother Solomon Sprat.
John Spratt also leaves his daughter Ann £800 at age 21 or on her marriage. If she died before then, and his wife was also dead, the money was to go as follows: £200 to his sister Mary, £200 to his brother Solomon, £200 to Samuel, William and Elizabeth, children of my late brother David Sprat, and £200 to Elizabeth the wife of Henry Dourn and Mary wife of ? Marsh the two children of my late brother Samuel.
He left £3 to the poor of Wingham. He also gave money (40 shillings) to the poor of Stourmouth, Kent.
The residue goes to Dorothy who is also executrix. The sum of £800 isto be paid to his daughter Ann at 21 or at marriage by brother Solomon and Henry Dourn the younger of Littlebourne (presumably the husband of his niece Mary).
Thomas Parks, William Parks? and Ingram Parpoint?? are witnesses.
Hope some of this connects to some of your Matson families.
Interested if you have any more information on Spratt connections.
Yours Tompion
